Marianne Wine Estate

We don't stay at the accommodation, but we come here for wine tasting every time we're over. We love the views, wine and staff, and ship some of the good grape back to the UK. Willy, our sommelier, was outstanding, so knowledgeable and entertaining, and Brad the manager was great and attentive too. Top tip, make this your last stop on a wine tour.

The drive into the winery was beautiful, and the grounds looked gorgeous. We went just for wine tasting and sat on the patio, where the atmosphere was awesome. We started with the white wines, then got a meat board with a different meat to go with each red. The pairings were excellent, and everyone enjoyed the experience.

After years of visiting South Africa and staying at wineries, lodges and working farms, this was our most disappointing stay by far. It cost up to €300 per night and presents itself as a four-star hotel, but the reality fell nowhere near the online photos or reasonable expectations for that category, especially for Western hygiene and hospitality standards. The room was shocking when we arrived. Dead flies were everywhere, the bathroom was visibly dirty, the window was broken, and the mattress looked stained and unhygienic. The fitted sheet didn't fit the bed properly, and the bed was so short that my 1.86 m husband had his legs hanging out all night. Worst of all, the toilet brush was covered in feces. That alone says a lot about the cleaning and hygiene. We tried to deal with it respectfully after the first night and gave the hotel a chance to clean the room properly, but it still wasn't cleaned adequately. There wasn't even a bath mat, so the bathroom floor flooded after a shower. Housekeeping had clearly touched and moved our belongings in strange ways without cleaning properly. My toothbrush, for example, had been put inside my husband's razor case, which felt extremely odd and uncomfortable. The restaurant and breakfast area were just as disappointing. Sticky tables, cheap and careless plates and presentation, and a constant smell of old rancid fat made it feel more like a low-budget youth hostel than a luxury hotel or winery stay. It had nothing in common with the wonderful winery and farm stays we've enjoyed elsewhere in South Africa. After we left, we went back and forth with management on WhatsApp, including Cathy, and were repeatedly assured of a refund. It never came. We have several WhatsApp messages showing we gave the hotel ample chances to sort things out and clean the room, but it was never done satisfactorily. This was an extremely disappointing, overpriced stay that didn't remotely match the advertised standards.

The tasting at Marianne Wine Estate felt personal and unhurried, with each wine presented thoughtfully. The wines were outstanding, balanced and expressive, and clearly made with care and passion. We could really engage with each one, which made the tasting memorable instead of routine. The estate is beautifully kept and has an elegant but welcoming feel that made it easy to relax from the moment we arrived. We left with a lasting impression from both the wines and the warmth and attention we received. We'd happily return and recommend it without hesitation.